April 2005, Issue #39
This Month's JETS Spotlight: Society of Fire Protection Engineers
What is a Fire Protection Engineer?
Fire protection engineers use physics, chemistry and math to protect people and buildings from fires. Fire protection engineers analyze how buildings are used, how fires start and grow, and how fires affect people and property. They use the latest technologies to design systems to control fires, alert people to danger, and provide means for escape. While fire protection engineers are the lead professionals in the design of fire safe buildings and structures, fire protection engineers also work closely with other professionals, including engineers of other disciplines, architects, state and local building officials, and local fire departments.
The easiest way to become a fire protection engineer is to study fire protection engineering in a formal engineering program (for a list of schools that offer fire protection engineering programs, see www.careersinfireprotectionengineering.com). In the U.S., students can study fire protection engineering at the undergraduate level at the University of Maryland. Worcester Polytechnic Institute offers a 5-year program for students to earn a bachelors degree in engineering and a master's degree in fire protection engineering. Both schools offer distance learning options. Other colleges and universities offer programs as well.
"The demand for fire protection engineers consistently exceeds the annual supply of graduates," says George Toth, executive vice president of Chicago-based RJA Group, a leading fire protection consulting firm. Even with an average starting salary of $47,000 and an industry-wide mean of $85,000, knowledgeable fire protection engineers are hard to come by.
Resources:
- A wide variety of information regarding entering the fire protection engineering profession is available at: www.careersinfireprotectionengineering.com
- Local chapters of the Society of Fire Protection Engineers provide an opportunity to meet and network with practicing fire protection engineers, and many chapters offer scholarships. A list of SFPE chapters is available at www.sfpe.org.
- The magazine of the Society of Fire Protection Engineers, Fire Protection Engineering, provides practice-oriented information. Free copies can be downloaded from www.sfpe.org.
